The Voice of Peace from Badakhshan Province, in the Midst of War

On October 19, 2020, Civil Society and Human Rights Network (CSHRN) in collaboration with Human Rights and Eradication of Violence Organization (HREVO) held a one-day conference titled “Meaningful Presence of Non-Dominant Minorities in the Afghan Peace Process” in Faizabad, the capital of Badakhshan province.

The conference was attended by 80 people, including local government officials, provincial council’s representatives, civil society activists, local elders of the Afghan Kyrgyz, Wakhi, Gujar, Baluch, Nuristani, and Sadat minorities.

Akhtar Mohammad Khairzadah, Deputy Governor of Badakhshan; Arefa Navid, the provincial Chair of Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission; Mohammad Zaker Arian, the provincial council member; Adina Mohammad Amini, president of Barna University; Sais Nouri, Safiullah Zarifi, and BagGul Khalili, professors at the Badakhshan University spoke to the conference. 

During the conference, HREVO’s researcher, Ali Payam Naderi, shared the findings of the research on the voices of non-dominant minorities in the peace process.  

Among the panelists, Storai Yazdanparast, Deputy of Civil Society in Badakhshan; Abdul Rahman Mahmoodi, the Baluch’s minority influential leader; Sultan Mohammad, the Chairman of the Wakhan Kyrgyz Council; Zahed, the Kochi’s Coordinator; and Sayed Javad Darvasian, the provincial Coordinator of CSHRN in Badakhshan also attended the conference.

CSHRN’s statement was also presented at the conference by Mr. Darvazian which was followed by questions and answers from the participants. 

Importantly note that the program is supported by the European Union Afghanistan Peace Support Mechanism (EUAPSM).